Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1887-09-27
A VILLAGE SCANDAL.

81 DO not believe u. sAli MIS- oIah''
empha,ie.lly.
"Ba, What everybody say. mus, be
true" persisted Mr. Jeffrey.
"By no means" said Helen Grant.
"Oaec everybody ',id the earth was an,
now We all kno~ |, il round"
Speak for yourself" retorisd Mrs.
Jeffrey. III don, kros is round. but
I'm willing to believe /, on good evidence,
Th.nk heaven. I'm not % stubborn that
| wont believe. I'm one OF the sort
that esa be convinced Of = thing even II
doa', see i"
Mr.. Grant flashed little. and tears
came 10 her eyes.
"she i. my friend. and love her dear.
ly," she said. "She has fAulis--syery
oae can see thA,-bu, this wicked.
shameful story. simply e.nno, believe
IL. oh. Mr'. Jeffrey. can you no, sec
th., /, i. matter Of conscience with me
a. well As with yOu'
Mr. Jeffrey. little ashamed. bo, OF
the same opinion still, rosc TO 20.
III the matter il bfough, up In the
church, you will hear all the evidence.
After you sec the letter you may change
your mind.
Pine Fall. Was coavnlssd over ~ fret
scandal. The tongue of cen'ure. that
bad f.inily rsproved when Abram HaHs'
had carried hi. mother of 10 the poor'
house. and indulsed In audible criticisms
when Laura cosles had been bap,i,ed IN
the river In midwin,er during a church
revival and died Of ina,mmaiory rheu.
mA,i.m = week af,erwArd. bad now
broken silence and carried the story from
house 10 house uuiil II was on every
body's lips.
A mania for visiting seemed TO have
broken oa, among the ladies. Hall a
dorsn could be seen any day. With = lit
tie bundle Of knitting or crochet In hand.
going TO make informal visits OF calls at
the homes Of their intimate friends or
near nsighbors. To be sure each lady
vi. very particular to explain, II oPPor.
,uni,y offered. ,hA, she had promised
Mrs. So.And 20 = new stitch or pattern,
or she had been intending to take her
work and "run in" 10 see Mrs. saeh.A.
one for .ix months or more. II Was
really shame TO neglee, ones neisheor'
40
Mrs. Jeffrey aud Mrs. Martin were
seated on the back porch Of the Jeffrey
mansion, engaged in sarnss. and eonh'
Dental conversation. Overhead IN the
apple tree the robin .aug unheart. Oa
the aoor q mi.ehievous kitten played
with Mr.. Martins ball Of zephyr, tan
Cling the thread unhesded. while her ero'
che, work lay idly in her lap.
"she always did seem frivolous to
me-" remarked Mrs. Jeffrey. "No care
Of Der house. no in,sres, in domestic MAJ
,er.. There's a grsa, deal 'sid 10 these
days about woman's hiding GOd'giv'
en- talent under q bu.hsl. and smother
ing her geuius urdsr domestic dfudger;
bu, I've noticed that the women Who are
domestic and take an inieres, In their
homes are no, the women who figure IN
scandal cases or elopemen's.
"Perhsps," replied Mrs. Martin, Who
wa, no, 80 conservative s' her neighbor,
",here's a grea, deal Of human nature In
women {. well as men. MOs, OF them
take an interest in some one ,hirg be-
.ides housekeeping. With some 1t i'
painting. with others music. others fstcy
work or religion. I've kaosn women
Who were really dissipa,ed. yoi might
say. in religious work; they carried IL to
such unreasonable lengths. You and !
no, being gifted In any Of these direc'
,iors, have gone on in plata, quiet home
life. But We must not on that account.
End fault with those who sse life from =
different standpoint, OF call them ffiso.
lous because they take an interest In
things we don't care for Mrs. Downs
was always fond ofdrsss and fancy. work,
but until this story came out everybody
seemed to like her." .
"well, you can say what you please,
returned Mrs. Jeffrey. wraihfally. "~hen
a woman behaves herself. che won't be
talked about. The most shamsful part
of tie whole affair is her assumed inro-
osnee. I saw her myself walking the
streets with Mr. Cotton only last evening.
ss cool q. you please. II there's = man
in this village that ! pity. its Jack
DowLa"
The next day was Sunday. and the
minister. Mr.. Snow, looked around At the
rapidly filing psws with feeling ofeAlm
com pl,eency. Everybody belonging TO
the congregation was there. Every face
wore . look Of keen expectancy, and
when Jack Downs entered With bis pretty
wife, significant looks were exchanged
and suppressed sensation Was visible
throughout the audience.
Yoa,hfal and pretty, she added to
these attractions by taste In dress that
WAS simply perfect. Asshe came slowly
up the aisle ,wirlins her fan nonchalsnt.
ly, whispered comments passrd from oas
to anotltr.
"How brsisn. Did you ever zee such
sfIionisp.' murmured NJ" Dur to MIS-
Cowlss.